riders of the purple sage-第37部分

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been　the　gamest　woman　I　ever　seen。　But　I　don't　know　women。　Mebbe　there's　reason　for　you　to　cry。　I　know　thisnothin'　ever　rang　in　my　soul　an'　so　filled　it　as　what　Venters　did。　I'd　like　to　have　done　it；　butI'm　only　good　for　throwin'　a　gun；　en'　it　seems　you　hate　that。。。。Well；　I'll　be　goin'　now。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Venters　took　Wrangle　to　the　stable。　The　sorrel's　shy　a　shoe；　an'　I've　got　to　help　hold　the　big　devil　an'　put　on　another。〃

〃Tell　Bern　to　come　for　the　pack　I　want　to　give　himandand　to　say　good…by；〃　called　Jane；　as　Lassiter　went　out。

Jane　passed　the　rest　of　that　day　in　a　vain　endeavor　to　decide　what　and　what　not　to　put　in　the　pack　for　Venters。　This　task　was　the　last　she　would　ever　perform　for　him；　and　the　gifts　were　the　last　she　would　ever　make　him。　So　she　picked　and　chose　and　rejected；　and　chose　again；　and　often　paused　in　sad　revery；　and　began　again；　till　at　length　she　filled　the　pack。

It　was　about　sunset；　and　she　and　Fay　had　finished　supper　and　were　sitting　in　the　court；　when　Venters's　quick　steps　rang　on　the　stones。　She　scarcely　knew　him；　for　he　had　changed　the　tattered　garments；　and　she　missed　the　dark　beard　and　long　hair。　Still　he　was　not　the　Venters　of　old。　As　he　came　up　the　steps　she　felt　herself　pointing　to　the　pack；　and　heard　herself　speaking　words　that　were　meaningless　to　her。　He　said　good…by；　he　kissed　her；　released　her；　and　turned　away。　His　tall　figure　blurred　in　her　sight；　grew　dim　through　dark；　streaked　vision；　and　then　he　vanished。

Twilight　fell　around　Withersteen　House；　and　dusk　and　night。　Little　Fay　slept；　but　Jane　lay　with　strained；　aching　eyes。　She　heard　the　wind　moaning　in　the　cottonwoods　and　mice　squeaking　in　the　walls。　The　night　was　interminably　long；　vet　she　prayed　to　hold　back　the　dawn。　What　would　another　day　bring　forth？　The　blackness　of　her　room　seemed　blacker　for　the　sad；　entering　gray　of　morning　light。　She　heard　the　chirp　of　awakening　birds；　and　fancied　she　caught　a　faint　clatter　of　hoofs。　Then　low；　dull　distant；　throbbed　a　heavy　gunshot。　She　had　expected　it；　was　waiting　for　it；　nevertheless；　an　electric　shock　checked　her　heart；　froze　the　very　living　fiber　of　her　bones。　That　vise…like　hold　on　her　faculties　apparently　did　not　relax　for　a　long　time；　and　it　was　a　voice　under　her　window　that　released　her。

〃Jane！。。。Jane！〃　softly　called　Lassiter。

She　answered　somehow。

〃It's　all　right。　Venters　got　away。　I　thought　mebbe　you'd　heard　that　shot；　en'　I　was　worried　some。〃

〃What　was　itwho　fired？〃

〃Wellsome　fool　feller　tried　to　stop　Venters　out　there　in　the　sagean'　he　only　stopped　lead！。。。I　think　it'll　be　all　right。　I　haven't　seen　or　heard　of　any　other　fellers　round。　Venters'll　go　through　safe。　An'；　Jane；　I've　got　Bells　saddled；　an'　I'm　going　to　trail　Venters。　Mind；　I　won't　show　myself　unless　he　falls　foul　of　somebody　an'　needs　me。　I　want　to　see　if　this　place　where　he's　goin'　is　safe　for　him。　He　says　nobody　can　track　him　there。　I　never　seen　the　place　yet　I　couldn't　track　a　man　to。　Now；　Jane；　you　stay　indoors　while　I'm　gone；　an'　keep　close　watch　on　Fay。　Will　you？〃

〃Yes！　Oh　yes！〃

〃An'　another　thing；　Jane；〃　he　continued；　then　paused　for　long〃another　thingif　you　ain't　here　when　I　come　backif　you're　gonedon't　fear；　I'll　trail　youI'll　find　you　out。〃

〃My　dear　Lassiter；　where　could　I　be　goneas　you　put　it？〃　asked　Jane；　in　curious　surprise。

〃I　reckon　you　might　be　somewhere。　Mebbe　tied　in　an　old　barnor　corralled　in　some　gulchor　chained　in　a　cave！　Milly　Erne　wastill　she　give　in！　Mebbe　that's　news　to　you。。。。Well；　if　you're　gone　I'll　hunt　for　you。〃

〃No；　Lassiter；〃　she　replied；　sadly　and　low。　〃If　I'm　gone　just　forget　the　unhappy　woman　whose　blinded　selfish　deceit　you　repaid　with　kindness　and　love。〃

She　heard　a　deep；　muttering　curse；　under　his　breath；　and　then　the　silvery　tinkling　of　his　spurs　as　he　moved　away。

Jane　entered　upon　the　duties　of　that　day　with　a　settled；　gloomy　calm。　Disaster　hung　in　the　dark　clouds；　in　the　shade；　in　the　humid　west　wind。　Blake；　when　he　reported；　appeared　without　his　usual　cheer；　and　Jerd　wore　a　harassed　look　of　a　worn　and　worried　man。　And　when　Judkins　put　in　appearance；　riding　a　lame　horse；　and　dismounted　with　the　cramp　of　a　rider；　his　dust…covered　figure　and　his　darkly　grim；　almost　dazed　expression　told　Jane　of　dire　calamity。　She　had　no　need　of　words。

〃Miss　Withersteen；　I　have　to　reportloss　of　thewhite　herd；〃　said　Judkins；　hoarsely。

〃Come；　sit　down；　you　look　played　out；〃　replied　Jane；　solicitously。　She　brought　him　brandy　and　food；　and　while　he　partook　of　refreshments；　of　which　he　appeared　badly　in　need；　she　asked　no　questions。

〃No　one　ridercould　hev　done　moreMiss　Withersteen；〃　he　went　on；　presently。

〃Judkins；　don't　be　distressed。　You've　done　more　than　any　other　rider。　I've　long　expected　to　lose　the　white　herd。　It's　no　surprise。　It's　in　line　with　other　things　that　are　happening。　I'm　grateful　for　your　service。〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　I　knew　how　you'd　take　it。　But　if　anythin'；　that　makes　it　harder　to　tell。　You　see；　a　feller　wants　to　do　so　much　fer　you；　an'　I'd　got　fond　of　my　job。　We　led　the　herd　a　ways　off　to　the　north　of　the　break　in　the　valley。　There　was　a　big　level　an'　pools　of　water　an'　tip…top　browse。　But　the　cattle　was　in　a　high　nervous　condition。　Wild　as　wild　as　antelope！　You　see；　they'd　been　so　scared　they　never　slept。　I　ain't　a…goin'　to　tell　you　of　the　many　tricks　that　were　pulled　off　out　there　in　the　sage。　But　there　wasn't　a　day　for　weeks　thet　the　herd　didn't　get　started　to　run。　We　allus　managed　to　ride　'em　close　an'　drive　'em　back　an'　keep　'em　bunched。　Honest；　Miss　Withersteen；　them　steers　was　thin。　They　was　thin　when　water　and　grass　was　everywhere。　Thin　at　this　seasonthet'll　tell　you　how　your　steers　was　pestered。　Fer　instance；　one　night　a　strange　runnin'　streak　of　fire　run　right　through　the　herd。　That　streak　was　a　coyotewith　an　oiled　an'　blazin'　tail！　Fer　I　shot　it　an'　found　out。　We　had　hell　with　the　herd　that　night；　an'　if　the　sage　an'　grass　hadn't　been　wetwe；　hosses；　steers；　an'　all　would　hev　burned　up。　But　I　said　I　wasn't　goin'　to　tell　you　any　of　the　tricks。。。。Strange　now；　Miss　Withersteen；　when　the　stampede　did　come　it　was　from　natural　cause　jest　a　whirlin'　devil　of　dust。　You've　seen　the　like　often。　An'　this　wasn't　no　big　whirl；　fer　the　dust　was　mostly　settled。　It　had　dried　out　in　a　little　swale；　an'　ordinarily　no　steer　would　ever　hev　run　fer　it。　But　the　herd　was　nervous　en'　wild。　An'　jest　as　Lassiter　said；　when　that　bunch　of　white　steers　got　to　movin'　they　was　as　bad　as　buffalo。　I've　seen　some　buffalo　stampedes　back　in　Nebraska；　an'　this　bolt　of　the　steers　was　the　same　kind。

〃I　tried　to　mill　the　herd　jest　as　Lassiter　did。　But　I　wasn't　equal　to　it；　Miss　Withersteen。　I　don't　believe　the　rider　lives　who　could　hev　turned　thet　herd。　We　kept　along　of　the　herd　fer　miles；　an'　more　'n　one　of　my　boys　tried　to　get　the　steers　a…millin'。　It　wasn't　no　use。　We　got　off　level　ground；　goin'　down；　an'　then　the　steers　ran　somethin'　fierce。　We　left　the　little　gullies　an'　washes　level…full　of　dead　steers。　Finally　I　saw　the　herd　was　makin'　to　pass　a　kind　of　low　pocket　between　ridges。　There　was　a　hog…backas　we　used　to　call　'ema　pile　of　rocks　stickin'　up；　and　I　saw　the　herd　was　goin'　to　split　round　it；　or　swing　out　to　the　left。　An'　I　wanted　'em　to　go　to　the　right　so　mebbe　we'd　be　able　to　drive　'em　into　the　pocket。　So；　with　all　my　boys　except　three；　I　rode　hard　to　turn　the　herd　a　little　to　the　right。　We　couldn't　budge　'em。　They　went　on　en'　split　round　the　rocks；　en'　the　most　of　'em　was　turned　sharp　to　the　left　by　a　deep　wash　we　hedn't　seenhed　no　chance　to　see。

〃The　other　three　boysJimmy　Vail；　Joe　Willis；　an'　thet　little　Cairns　boya　nervy　kid！　they；　with　Cairns　leadin'；　tried　to　buck　thet　herd　round　to　the　pocket。　It　was　a　wild；　fool　idee。　I　couldn't　do　nothin'。　The　boys　got　hemmed　in　between　the　steers　an'　the　washthet　they　hedn't　no　chance　to　see；　either。　Vail　an'　Willis　was　run　down　right　before　our　eyes。　An'　Cairns；　who　rode　a　fine　hoss；　he　did　some　ridin'。　I　never　seen　equaled；　en'　would　hev　beat　the　steers　if　there'd　been　any　room　to　run　in。　I　was　high　up　an'　could　see　how　the　steers　kept　spillin'　by　twos　an'　threes　over　into　the　wash。　Cairns　put　his　hoss　to　a　place　thet　was　too　wide　fer　any　hoss；　an'　broke　his　neck　an'　the　hoss's　too。　We　found　that　out　after；　an'　as　fer　Vail　an'　Willistwo　thousand　steers　ran　over　the　poor　boys。　There　wasn't　much　left　to　pack　home　fer　burying！。。。An'；　Miss　Withersteen；　thet　all　happened　yesterday；　en'　I　believe；　if　the　white　herd　didn't　run　over　the　wall　of　the　Pass；　it's　runnin'　yet。〃

On　the　morning　of　the　second　day　after　Judkins's　recital；　during　which　time　Jane　remained　indoors　a　prey　to　regret　and　sorrow　for　the　boy　riders；　and　a　new　and　now　strangely　insistent　fear　for　her　own　person；　she　again　heard　what　she　had　missed　more　than　she　dared　honestly　confessthe　soft；　jingling　step　of　Lassiter。　Almost　overwhelming　relief　surged　through　her；　a　feeling　as　akin　to　joy　as　any　she　could　have　been　capable　of　in　those　gloomy　hours　of　shadow；　and　one　that　suddenly　stunned　her　with　the　significance　of　what　Lassiter　had　come　to　mean　to　her。　She　had　begged　him；　for　his　own　sake；　to　leave　Cottonwoods。　She　might　yet　beg　that；　if　her　weakening　courage　permitted　her　to　dare　absolute　loneliness　and　helplessness；　but　she　realized　now　that　if　she　were　left　alone　her　life　would　become　one　long；　hideous　nightmare。

When　his　soft　steps　clinked　into　the　hall；　in　answer　to　her　greeting；　and　his　tall；　black…garbed　form　filled　the　door；　she　felt　an　inexpressible　sense　of　immediate　safety。　In　his　presence　she　lost　her　fear　of　the　dim　passageways　of　Withersteen　House　and　of　every　sound。　Always　it　had　been　that；　when　he　entered　the　court　or　the　hall；　she　had　experienced　a　distinctly　sickening　but　gradually　lessening　shock　at　sight　of　the　huge　black　guns　swinging　at　his　sides。　This　time　the　sickening　shock　again　visited　her；　it　was；　however；　because　a　revealing　flash　of　thought　told　her　that　it　was　not　alone　Lassiter　who　was　thrillingly　welcome；　but　also　his　fatal　weapons。　They　meant　so　much。　How　she　had　fallenhow　broken　and　spiritless　must　she　beto　have　still　the　same　old　horror　of　Lassiter's　guns　and　his　name；　yet　feel　somehow　a　cold；　shrinking　protection　in　their　law　and　might　and　use。

〃Did　you　trail　Ventersfind　his　wonderful　valley？〃　she　a